


Rodeoshy

by pigeonking



Category: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Genre: Comedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-08
Updated: 2017-03-08
Packaged: 2018-10-01 03:53:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10180103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pigeonking/pseuds/pigeonking
Summary: I first started writing MLP fic for my daughter, but now I think I may love it more than she does...





	

Applejack ran as fast as she could, weaving in and out of the empty apple barrels quicker than a harvest in Zapp Apple season. She reached the end without barely breaking a sweat. Her little sister Apple Bloom waited for her with a stopwatch held in one hoof.

“Wow, sis! Six point five seconds! That’s almost half your previous record!” the little filly proclaimed, in awe of her big sibling’s athletic prowess.

“Mighty kind of you to say so, Apple Bloom, but I won’t be happy until I can do it in five seconds! I want to be better than my best in this year’s rodeo!” Applejack insisted.

She was about to attempt the run again when she caught sight of her good friend, Fluttershy heading their way. Fluttershy was a sweet young pegasus with a yellow hide, long, luscious pink mane and tail and a cluster of three pink butterflies for a cutie mark on each flank.

Applejack took down her brown cowfilly’s hat off her blonde mane and wiped a bead of sweat from her brow with one hoof.

“Howdy, Fluttershy!” she greeted her friend amiably. “What can I do for ya on this fine and wonderful day?”

“Oh, hello, Applejack. Hello, Apple Bloom!” Fluttershy answered timidly with a sweet tiny smile. “I hope I’m not disturbing anything. I was just wondering if Angel had been this way? When he woke up this morning he had such a fever, but when I tried to give him some medicine that mischievous little bunny ran away! Twilight Sparkle said she saw him heading this way towards Sweet Apple Acres. Oh please tell me you’ve seen him!”

“Can’t say as I have, Fluttershy. I’m sorry.” Applejack replied apologetically.

“Nuh-uh. Me neither.” Apple Bloom concurred.

“Oh. Okay. I guess I’d better keep looking. Sorry to have bothered you.” Fluttershy stuttered meekly.

“If I see him I’ll be sure to holler!” Applejack promised before she turned to resume her rodeo training.

She straightened her hat upon her head and took off at a gallop.

Applejack was half way through the barrels when she spotted a cute white bunny hopping along just ahead of her… right in her path!

It was Angel and there was no way he’d be out of the way in time… There was no way Applejack could stop in time… but she had to try.

Applejack dug her hooves into the dirt and tried to skid to a stop, but her momentum carried her over mane over tail. Her hat flew off and it was only by dumb luck that she missed landing on Angel, but instead collided in a pile of hooves into the barrels that she had just been so nimbly running through.

Apple Bloom ran over to help her sister.

Fluttershy had seen everything. Mortified she too galloped over to assist.

“Oh my goodness, Applejack!  Are you alright?” the young pegasus stammered.

“I think so.” Applejack groaned as she rolled over and tried to push herself up onto her four hooves again. As she tried to rise her front left hoof buckled beneath her and she fell upon her face again.

“Ouch! I think I might have sprained my hoof!” the young pony winced.

“Oh no! Let me get Big Mac. He can bandage it for you!” Apple Bloom ran off to fetch their big brother.

“Oh my goodness this is all my fault!” Fluttershy cried. “The rodeo is tomorrow and if you’ve hurt your hoof you won’t be able to compete!”

“Don’t be silly, Fluttershy. This ain’t your fault at all. I’m sure my hoof will be right as rain before you know it, you’ll see!” Applejack smiled and tried to stand again, but once again her injured hoof refused to take her weight.

“Angel is my bunny and, therefore, my responsibility.” Fluttershy insisted.

Angel was hovering near by looking guilty and trying to avoid Fluttershy’s gaze.

“There’s only one thing for it!” Fluttershy declared with an air of determination. “If you can’t compete in the rodeo tomorrow, then I will just have to take your place!”

Applejack couldn’t help herself. Upon hearing Fluttershy’s determined declaration the orange Earth pony burst into a fit of amused laughter.

“What is it? Why are you laughing?” Fluttershy protested. “I’m serious, Applejack!”

Applejack reigned in her laughter with a little effort.

“I’m sorry, Sugar Cube.” Applejack apologised. “I don’t mean to hurt your feelings, but you’ve never entered into a rodeo before.”

“Well there’s always a first time for everything!” Fluttershy replied defensively.

Before they could argue further Apple Bloom returned with Big Mac in tow. The big red stallion was carrying a First Aid case between his teeth.

He laid it down, flicked it open with one hoof and took out a roll of bandage that he began to wind around his sister’s injured hoof.

“Give it to me straight, Big Mac. It’s bad, ain’t it?” Applejack asked fearfully.

“Yup!” Big Mac answered.

“Will I be okay to compete in the rodeo tomorrow?”

“Nope!”

“Oh shoot!” Applejack cursed mildly. “Are you sure?”

“Yup!” Big Mac nodded. “I don’t recommend that you put any weight on it for at least three days, AJ.” He added.

“So much for me winning the rodeo this year!” Applejack lamented as her big brother finished up and left her in the company of Fluttershy and Apple Bloom.

“Let me enter the rodeo for you, Applejack!” Fluttershy insisted.

Apple Bloom was about to burst into laughter, just like her big sister had done, but a look from Applejack stopped her.

“You really are serious about this aren’t you, Fluttershy?” Applejack asked.

Fluttershy nodded, a gesture that was nearly lost, hidden as it was beneath her long pink mane.

“Yes I am. If you will be my coach I’m sure I can be good enough to win that trophy for you at the rodeo tomorrow. Just give me a chance. Please!”

Applejack pondered on her friend’s request before coming to a decision.

“Well what the hay! Why not? There’s no harm in trying. If nothing else it’ll be fun.” She finally agreed.

“Yay!” Fluttershy cheered quietly.

 

“I got here as quickly as I could, as soon as I got Big Mac’s message!” Rainbow Dash the blue pegasus with the multi-coloured mane and tail that gave her name announced as she arrived at Sweet Apple Acres in a blur of kaleidoscopic colour.

She was rather taken aback to find Applejack laid up in a hammock between two apple trees with a bandage around her left front hoof, even more so to see Apple Bloom counting as Fluttershy was engaged in some wing press-ups.

“What in the name of Equestria is going on here?” Rainbow Dash wondered.

“Thanks an awful lot for getting here so quickly, Rainbow. As you can probably gather, I need your help a might urgently.” Applejack greeted her.

“Of course, AJ. What do you need me to do?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“As you may know there’s a rodeo coming to Ponyville tomorrow which I had planned to take part in, but because of my hoof injury I can’t. Fluttershy feels responsible for what happened to me, even though she ain’t, but now she wants to participate in the rodeo in my place and win it on my behalf.” Applejack explained.

Rainbow Dash was barely able to stifle her amusement at the idea of timid, bashful Fluttershy taking part in a rodeo.

“So what do you need me to do?” Rainbow enquired.

“I need you to train Fluttershy. I can’t do it and you’re the only other pony who can.” Applejack told her.

“But the rodeo is tomorrow. We barely have a day to prepare her!” Rainbow protested.

“If anyone can do it then you can!” Applejack smiled encouragingly.

Rainbow Dash sat back on her hind hoofs and folded her front hoofs proudly across her chest.

“You better believe I can, Applejack!” she agreed. “Let’s get to it!”

 

First up was the barrel weaving obstacles course.

“Now remember, Fluttershy. This is largely an Earth Pony competition, so you’re not allowed to use your wings, you got that?” Applejack called from her hammock.

“I wouldn’t worry too much about that, AJ. Fluttershy sometimes forgets to use her wings even when she is allowed to fly!” Rainbow Dash snorted.

“That’s right, I do!” Fluttershy nodded eagerly, not in the least offended.

“Okay, Apple Bloom; are you ready with the stopwatch?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“I’m ready!” chirped Apple Bloom in reply.

“Ready, Fluttershy?”

“Ready!”

“GO!!!”

Fluttershy began to gallop in and out of the assembled barrels. At first she was doing quite well, but upon reaching the third barrel, as her momentum continued to build, she found herself running too quickly and charging headlong into the next barrel, sending it toppling over and rolling away down the hill. Fortunately, Fluttershy herself was unharmed.

“Land sakes, Fluttershy! We can’t have you getting injured as well, or else you won’t be able to do the rodeo either!” Applejack exclaimed, relieved to see that her friend was unhurt.

“I’m sorry, Applejack. Shall I try again?” Fluttershy asked.

“Let’s move onto the next event. We can come back to the barrel running later.” Rainbow Dash suggested.

“Okay.” Fluttershy agreed. “What is the next event?”

“Lassoing.” Rainbow dash declared and handed her a lasso-rope.

Fluttershy took the rope between her teeth and began to twist her head rapidly from side to side in an effort to build up some lasso action.

The loop-end of the lasso danced around her feet getting steadily closer to her hooves.

Fluttershy timidly lifted her front hooves so that the rope wouldn’t hit them, but in so doing she somehow caused the loop-end to encircle her hooves. In an attempt to pull the rope away, Fluttershy instead succeeded in closing the loop around her fetlocks and pulling herself face first to the ground in an undignified heap.

The young pegasus peered up at Applejack, Apple Bloom and Rainbow Dash from beneath her mane and smiled sheepishly.

“Oops!” she squeaked.

“Don’t worry, Fluttershy!” Apple Bloom chirped cheerfully as she untangled the rope from her friend’s hooves. “I’ll show you how it’s done!”

The young filly took the rope and proceeded to demonstrate a series of impressive lasso tricks, spinning the rope in and out between her legs, over her head, behind her back, standing on one hoof and more!

Fluttershy clapped her hooves together, impressed by the display.

“Woo-hoo, Apple Bloom. You rock.” The pegasus proclaimed quietly.

“Thanks!” Apple Bloom passed the rope back to Fluttershy. “Now you try again. Start off slowly at first and then you can build up speed as you get used to it.”

“I’ll try.” Fluttershy mumbled through a mouthful of rope.

Once again she began to spin the loop around, starting slow on the ground, working it gradually up into the air, gradually getting quicker as she went. As her confidence grew, Fluttershy tried a few tricks, passing the rope in and out between her legs then behind her back.

“I’m doing it! I’m doing it!” Fluttershy squeaked in excitement, but the act of speaking caused her to let go of the rope and before she knew it the loop was entangled around her once again.

“Nicely done, Fluttershy, but next time leave the celebrating until after you’re done!” Applejack chuckled.

Fluttershy could only blush in response.

“Next up we’ve got the bucking bronco event. Somepony has to sit on your back for a minute while you have to try and unseat them.” Rainbow Dash explained.

“Well that doesn’t sound very nice.” Fluttershy protested. “I don’t mind if somepony wants to ride on my back.”

“And ordinarily that would be just dandy, Fluttershy, but for the purposes of the competition you’ve gotta try and throw them off.” Applejack insisted.

“If you say so.” Fluttershy conceded, “But it just sounds so mean. Who am I going to practice with?”

“I took the liberty of sending a message to Spike at the same time I sent for Rainbow Dash. Here he comes now!” Applejack answered.

Sure enough, Spike the Dragon was walking their way having just arrived at Sweet Apple Acres.

“Sorry I’m late, AJ!” He called. “I had a couple of errands I needed to run for Twilight before I could come. What is it you wanted me for anyway?”

Applejack told him.

“Oh shoot!” Spike cursed, but he climbed onto Fluttershy’s back anyway.

“Stopwatch ready, Apple Bloom?” Rainbow asked.

“You betcha!” Apple Bloom replied.

“Okay, Fluttershy, you have exactly a minute to try and unseat Spike. GO!!!”

Spike took a hold of Fluttershy’s mane and closed his eyes in preparation for a bumpy ride.

He was to be disappointed… or should that be relieved?

Without much effort, Fluttershy made a poor show of kicking first her front hooves and then her hind ones; she arched her back with all the force of a lazy pony rising from its bed and stretching languorously at the start of the day. For all the force that was put into these actions she might as well have been performing a graceful ballet rather than trying to shrug off an unwanted rider. Needless to say, Spike had no trouble at all in remaining seated upon her back.

“Come on now, Fluttershy! You can do better than that!” Applejack called encouragingly.

Rainbow Dash had covered her eyes with one hoof… she could not bear to watch the dismal display.

“Imagine a huge scary spider just landed on your back and you wanna shake it off in a hurry!” the blue pegasus suggested.

“Spider!!!!” Fluttershy shrieked in dismay, her eyes widened with terror. “Where???”

She screamed and began to buck and toss her whole body violently to shake off the imagined creepy-crawly. Sure enough Spike was sent sailing into the air and into the branches of the nearest apple tree; his little legs were all that could be seen dangling through the foliage.

“Help! Get me down from here!” he exclaimed.

Rainbow Dash fluttered up and nudged Spike onto her back before flying him back down to the ground.

“Thanks, Rainbow Dash.” Spike gushed gratefully.

“Is it gone? Is it gone?” Fluttershy was asking frantically as she trotted round in a circle trying to peer over her shoulder at her own back.

Applejack, Apple Bloom, Rainbow Dash and Spike could not help but laugh good naturedly at their timid friend.

“There ain’t no spider, Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash was just asking you to pretend.” Applejack assured her with a chuckle.

“Oh thank goodness.” Fluttershy replied. “Gosh, now I do feel silly.” She blushed.

“No need.” Applejack said with a kind smile. “It was exactly what you needed to buck Spike off like you were supposed to. Think you could do that again at the rodeo tomorrow?”

Fluttershy nodded. “I’ll certainly try.”

“Good. That’s all that matters. Now let’s try that barrel run again!”

 

The next day and the rodeo arrived far too soon for Fluttershy. She had spent the night at Sweet Apple Acres along with Rainbow Dash so that they could get in some early morning practice before the rodeo itself at midday.

The yellow pegasus had just managed to complete the barrel run in 5.5 seconds without a single mishap. Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Apple Bloom whooped and hollered in celebration.

“You did it, Fluttershy! I knew you could! I think you’re ready for the rodeo!” Applejack exclaimed with excited enthusiasm.

“You really think so?” Fluttershy blushed.

“I know so, Sugar Cube.” Applejack replied with a wink.

 

Later that day after Fluttershy had signed her name up for the rodeo she and Rainbow Dash, along with Applejack rested up in a wheelchair being pushed by Apple Bloom, made their way to the waiting area where all of the other competitors were gathered and awaiting their turn to compete.

From where they waited Fluttershy could see the huge crowd of ponies that had assembled to watch the competition. Out in the arena their friend Pinkie Pie was kitted out in a clown’s attire and make-up, somersaulting and cartwheeling about whilst juggling and tossing custard pies into the crowd.

The crowd. No matter how hard she tried, Fluttershy could not stop thinking about how many people had turned up to watch the rodeo. To watch her. Practicing in front of her friends had been one thing, but performing in front of all these other ponies was another matter entirely!

“I can’t do it! I can’t go through with it!” Fluttershy squeaked anxiously, fidgeting nervously from one hoof to the other as she stared out at the intimidating crowd.

“Of course you can, Sugar Cube. You’ve proven to all of us that you’ve got what it takes to go out there and win this!” Applejack assured her, “And even if you don’t win, then at least you tried.”

“I don’t know that I can do it in front of all these other ponies!” Fluttershy protested.

“It’s okay, Fluttershy. Nopony is going to make you go out there and do anything that you don’t feel comfortable doing.” Applejack smiled understandingly. “If you don’t want to do it, then you don’t have to. I won’t be mad. I promise!”

Fluttershy looked at her friend uncertainly. She was being given an out if she wanted it. She didn’t have to perform. A look of steely determination set across Fluttershy’s face.

“No!” she said firmly. “I am not going to back out of this. I can do this!!!”

“Ah yeah!” Rainbow Dash cheered and performed a mid-air loop-the-loop somersault.

 

When Fluttershy’s turn came she ran the barrel run in exactly four seconds, her graceful and balletic lasso routine earned her top marks from the judges and she was able to unseat poor Spike before he’d even gotten a decent grip on her mane.

She had done enough to win the ultimate trophy, a golden statuette of an Earth Pony twirling a lasso above its head. Fluttershy stood on the podium beaming with radiant pride in her achievement, holding the trophy aloft as the other ponies cheered and stomped their hooves in rapturous applause.

Afterwards Fluttershy passed the trophy on to Applejack.

“I know it’s not the same as winning it yourself, but here’s the trophy for you to display on your shelf.” She said with a smile.

“No way, Sugar Cube! You earned this. It should go on your shelf. Just so long as you don’t mind me popping over once in a while to have a look at it?” Applejack winked.

“It’s a deal!” Fluttershy agreed.

And that’s just what she did.

 

**The End**


End file.
